Sunday, August 19, 2012

The endless holster search ends... for now!

It's been quite some time ago I wrote about the holster box, or boxes for some of us.  It seems that no matter what holster you get for a new gun, it's never quite right until you find something better or try everything else out there just to find out the first one was the best.


Most folks who follow this blog know I typically carry a Ruger SR9c and sometimes the full-size Ruger SR9 for Every Day Carry (EDC).  I have been very happy with the Galco Cop Slot 3 holster for the Ruger SR9, which also carries the SR9c just as well, for several years.  The Galco has thumb-snap retention, is made of quality leather, has an adjustable tension screw, is canted forward ten to fifteen degrees which reduces printing and is a personal preference, and it holds very snug to the body for an Outside the Waistband (OWB) holster.


It's taken me several years to settle in with an Inside the Waistband Holster (IWB) for the Ruger SR9 and SR9c.  I want one holster that fits either gun and after trying quite a few out, I've been wearing the Comp-Tac Minotaur MTAC fairly regularly the last few months and have been very pleased with it.  It's a quality holster, feels very comfortable, and mimics the feel and cant of my Galco OWB holster.  I like having the leather against my body while the Kydex holster is adjustable for cant, tension, and positioning.

So why do I need both?  It allows me to choose depending upon my clothing and activity plans for the day.  If I'm riding in the car for a long period of time or if I'm wearing a jacket or sport coat, the Galco is more comfortable with more clothing between me and the holster.  If it's a hot summer day, the Comp-Tac allows me wear lighter clothing and keep the gun tight to my pudgy mid-section while being practically invisable.

I like that in terms of both "feel" and "draw" they seem almost interchangeable to me.  What about the thumb-break retention on the Galco?  Well, it is pretty much a sub-conscious, muscle memory thing for me after all these years.  I can draw from my spring/winter/fall concealment and put two shots center mass consistently at five to seven yards in under two seconds with either holster.  For winter, I sometimes use an appendix carry position when I'm wearing layered clothing or heavy winter coats or parkas... especially if I'm driving... for better access, but that would be a discussion for another day.

Some folks get by with one holster all the time.  I haven't really been able to do that depending upon what I'm wearing, especially my outerwear.  So for now, I'm feelin' pretty good about my EDC holster choices.

Which means... The endless holster search ends... for now!

So how about you... do you use just one holster, or do you use different holsters?

5 comments:

  1. I use different holsters depending on what is up for the day, what clothing, etc. I prefer paddle holsters for the ease of removal. I don't want the "pervert taking off his pants WITH A GUN" call into LEO.

    That pretty much confines me to OWB. I'm cool with that.

    Carry? A leather paddle for the M&P. Training? Fobus plastic something.

    Holsters I have, from ElPaso Saddlery and Leather (when they cared about customers) to total crap. The good thing about the crap is I can take them to class now and show people why they are.

    Nice rig Sir!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I hope I had something to do with you trying the MTAC. If not, I am glad you found it anyway!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @Ron... I really enjoyed your blogging on the Comp-Tac products... but my first MTAC was actually for my 1911 a while back...

      Dann in Ohio

      Delete
  3. I use different ones, mostly dependent on what I'm wearing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am going to try this one surely.

    ReplyDelete